Physics – Optics
Scientific paper
Oct 2007
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007dps....39.3406c&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #39, #34.06; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 39, p.479
Physics
Optics
Scientific paper
The impact of a 10-meter telescope on solar-system science began in 1994 when comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 collided with Jupiter. Shortly after Keck's observation of this event, the advent of adaptive optics ushered in an explosion of solar-system observation opportunities, including volcanoes on Io, binary asteroids, rings of outer planets, clouds on Titan, shapes of main belt asteroids, imaging near-Earth asteroids, and the study of larger-than-Pluto Kuiper Belt Objects. Seeing limited (non-AO) observations also continue, including the color characterization of Kuiper Belt Objects, and, more recently, measuring the post-impact chemical abundances of Comet 9P/Tempel 1. The continuing discoveries of planets around other stars, one of Keck's greatest achievements, stands as another example of non-AO science which, although not strictly classified as solar-system science, has major implications for understanding our own solar system.
As we enter the next phase of adaptive optics capability, which for Keck includes a new wavefront controller with a limiting magnitude of 14.5, and a laser guide-star system with a limiting magnitude of 18, new solar-system discovery opportunities are within our grasp. While meeting the technical challenges of these new technologies, ground-based observing faces the related challenge of scheduling telescope time to meet the phase coverage requirements and ability to react to time-critical events required for efficient exploration of the solar-system from the ground.
We review the last 10 years of discovery, and discuss the opportunities and challenges of future technologies and scheduling strategies. In addition to this overview, we also provide specifics of recent work by the authors, including characterization of asteroid (511) Davida's physical properties.
Campbell Randy
Carry Benoit
Conrad Albert
Drummond Jack D.
Dumas Cédric
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